The Most Unexpected Commitment to Become a Better Leader

Here’s what 200 leaders from across the globe had to say

· Leadership

After leading three webinars / masterclasses on the topic of virtual leadership over the last two weeks, and working with nearly 200 leaders across the globe, I am sharing with you the most unexpected insights regarding how people are committing to show up as better leaders for their virtual teams during this unprecedented time.

With so much growth & learning taking place today about how to better lead virtual teams and how to best support employees who are suddenly working remotely to stay engaged,

supported, and productive, leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and experience levels have tuned in to get their questions answered. They joined to learn, listen, and share -as well as to get clarity and new insights into their biggest challenges. and seeking clarity in how to show up better.

At the end of each webinar I ask leaders to share one behavior they commit to change in order to show up as a better leader — and the responses have been surprising.

There is a sprinkling of the anticipated:

“Have more frequent 1:1 meetings with my team members”

“Establish daily team check-ins each morning”

“Ask my team how they are doing”

These are all incredibly valuable and much-needed exercises for leaders to undertake, but what has been most surprising to me is that the amount of leaders who commit to practice more self-care in order to be a better virtual leader.

We so often view self-care as secondary to our leadership — when, in fact, is it of critical importance. Without first taking care of yourself, you are, first, less resilient and less able to handle the many challenges thrown as you, and second, you are in no position to support others to thrive.

What self-care looks like varies person-to-person. Only you, as an individual, can say for sure what it looks like for you today (whether it’s taking a 20-minute power nap in the afternoon, or preparing a hot meal for lunch) but no matter the specifics of what you do, the act of taking care of yourself and ensuring you have what you need to be resilient and show up.

That’s why someone who commits to practice meditation each morning before breakfast, or go for a run in the afternoon, or even to shut their phone off 2 hours before bed each night is practicing responsible and forward-thinking leadership.

Here’s what other leaders, like you, committed to during the Leading Virtual Teams Masterclass:

Set clear boundaries around working hours so I don’t burn out

Screens off at 10PM

Writing in my journal

Set a time for the end of the workday

Take a 30-minute lunch break at least three times a week

Video gaming with my friends

Don’t work during the weekends

Have a proper weekend; eat well, drink well, dance well

Switch off my phone 2 hours before bed

What self-care practices have you started implementing to help you be a better leader?

If you are interested to join a community of like-minded virtual leaders dedicated to supporting, empowering, and exchanging on what it means to be a leader — especially during these strange new circumstances, sign up for the Leading Virtual Teams Online Course and get exclusive access to the Online Leaders Community.

Amanda Parker, Online Leadership Coach & Founder of The Courage Factory, works with leaders, like you, who want to find more fulfillment and purpose in their life and work.

Through coaching with Amanda, you will clarify your purpose & values, and start to feel confident in your ability to inspire, engage, and lead others.